Every Christian needs at least five adjustments.
First, he must be adjusted to the Lord — for God will never change his ways for us. Accepting his ways and submitting to him, will adjust us to him so that his ways suit us all right and keep us from complaining and always wishing things were otherwise.
Second, we must be adjusted to the church. There are people who are not satisfied with what their fellow Christians are doing, or with their dispositions, or with the way things are conducted in the church. They think they cannot live successfully or be on proper terms with others, unless things are going to suit them. You need not expect that everything in the church will ever come up to your ideas of what it ought to be, nor that every individual will measure up to your standard, nor that everybody will teach just as you think he ought to. Instead of being irritated over such things and finding fault—serve the Lord faithfully, but do not try to assume all the responsibility for what others do.
Third, we need to be so adjusted to the world — that no matter what comes up, it will not cause us to swerve from the true path. Worldly influences will constantly come against our lives, but we must not let them draw us away nor hinder our spirituality.
Fourth, you must get adjusted to our circumstances — the things that go wrong in the family or in your work. Every now and then, something will disturb you or vex you — but you must learn how to meet these things. Have you ever noticed that vessels on the lakes have timbers on their sides to sheer them off the wharf and to prevent the hull from being injured by striking the wharf? Christians need some such contrivances in their lives to keep their troubles from getting too close to them. They need to have something alongside to prevent them from being hurt by the impact of natural circumstances. One of the best things to sheer off petty annoyances, is a good smile. An attitude of cheerful courage, is a wonderful help too.
Fifth, we need to be adjusted to heat, cold, and position.
We need to be so adjusted to the Heat of human enthusiasm, that we shall not be carried away from our common sense and be led into doing unwise things. We need to be so adjusted to emotionalism, that our emotions will not run away with us nor the emotions of others influence us too strongly. We need to be adjusted to the passions of others, so that their anger, envy, jealousy, malice, and such like will not affect us. We must be able to hold our own position and go our own way. We need to have a definite personality of our own, to think for ourselves, and to keep balanced — no matter how high the tide of enthusiasm, emotionalism, or passion may run about us.
We need to be so adjusted to Cold that religious formality will not freeze us out, nor the prejudice of others move us to ill feeling, nor the indifference of others make us indifferent.
We need to be so adjusted to Position that we shall be able to live a balanced Christian life in any surroundings. No matter whether we are rich or poor, no matter what our social position, our employment, or our associates, or whatever might naturally influence us — they will not be able to draw us away from the Lord or prevent us from serving him. God made us to live in this world and be victorious Christians in it. “This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.”
Charles Wesley Naylor is considered one of the most prolific and inspiring songwriters of the Church of God. He was bedridden for much of his adult life but wrote eight books, a newspaper column and more than 150 songs. Many of his writings are in the public domain.
